The Piano and The Past. /Johnny/

Chapter 22

Youngho put down his tray while Nara lifelessly laid her head on the table.

"It's dirty, get up." He knocked her head with a straw. He bought himself a classical combo set. Double cheeseburger, large fries, and a huge cup of cola. "The food is here."

"Youngho ssi." She still laid her head down.

"Hm?" He unwrapped his burger.

"Do you ever feel jealous?"

"Of coufsh." He chewed his burger. After a few chews he managed to talk clearly. "Of course I have. Who doesn't?"

"I feel jealous for the first time today."

"Really? Wow? We should celebrate it then." He reacted insincerely. He fed her one piece of fries to her mouth and she chewed it. "What made you jealous today?"

"A girl." She didn't know why she told him. "She was beautiful. Long legs and all. Stable job. Hmm what more. She has this curve just slightly above her nose that she makes when she talks, makes her lips more attractive. Even her name is pretty. Kang Yebin." Nara stared at the distance outside.

Youngho tried to hold his laugh. "Where did you meet this girl anyway?"

"Just happened that way. Ugh I hate her. She even wants to get married. Even I don't want that. And I'm a girl myself." She raised her head and sat straight. "If you meet her you will like her, I'm sure of it."

"Here we go. The overthinker." He chewed his burger again.

Nara took a sip of his cola, making him feel betrayed like it was his precious treasure. "Trust me, you will."

"Okay, I trust you."

She sulked. "See? You even like her too."

Youngho kept holding his laugh and fed her another piece of fries. "Of course I don't. She doesn't seem real to me. You're much better."

Nara tucked few strands of hair so she could hear better. "Explain why I'm better."

"One-"

"Okay, here we go with one two three." She chuckled.

He smiled widely. "Okay, listen to me. One, you're far more real. You're in front of me now. Two- okay don't laugh, listen to me. Two, I hate your weird juice drink-"

"It's not weird-"

"Let me finish first," He chuckled seeing her reaction, "I hate your juice drink because you love it so much and I don't even understand it. What? Stop laughing- Okay, three. I don't need a 'long legs and all', because I already have them."

Nara held her laugh for awhile after his third reason. Before he finally burst into laughter. "That is not a reason."

"It is a reason." He laughed with her. "Oh and I have reason number four."

"Johnny Seo, I know you just made that up a second ago." She said in english and supported her chin with her arms, leaning in.

"Oh, I didn't." He poked her nose. "Four. The way you laugh can enchant me into doing something stupid."

She felt blushed with his words but was still curious. "Oh, really? Something stupid like what?"

"Those three phases." He smiled. "Here, you can have my cheeseburger."

"Eww I'm not having your leftovers." She whined. "But I'm fine with the fries, though."

"You've had two pieces already."

"You fed me, that doesn't count."

"It does." He started to laugh again.

"No, it doesn't." She laughed again and her hand tried to steal the fries.

--

The next day, Youngho was at the shop. His motorbike was having problems since a week ago. Jinsang thought it was the brake that had a problem.

"I thought we had that fixed." Youngho said. "Few weeks ago, right? It had this brake problems too."

Jinsang put down the wrench. "I know. But it's an old sport. We should respect him." He threw a joking smile.

"It's old, but it's fine. Just try to fix it, okay? I have to pick up Nara for the barbecue party this weekend."

"Fine, lovebird."

"Stop saying that, it's embarrassing."

Then a two men came to the shop. "I'm looking for Seo Youngho. Is he here?" Youngho heard that and checked who they were.

"He's here." Jinsang said and pointed to Youngho.

The two men approached him. He knew that they were from the academy. One of them handed him a pile of paperwork. "Good afternoon."

"Afternoon." Youngho read the paperwork. It was his score reports. "And what should I do with this?"

"Your scores are enough to get scholarship at Juilliard. Senior Han is already recovered, so I hope you can return and take the qualification test. You have a great future as a pianist."

"And if I don't want to?"

"Just reconsider it. You're always welcomed back. After the recital, you can start having the qualifications."

Youngho recalled Doyoung was preparing for this so called joint recital. "When is that? Why should I return?"

"Maybe you should listen to them..." Jinsang said to him.

"Recital is in three weeks. That is all. I hope you take this into consideration." The two men left the shop, with Youngho was still holding the paperwork.

"I'm not going back." He threw the paperwork away.

"You should give it a try. That's what I think. You used to be happy playing piano."

"Yeah. Used to." He laid down on the bench and covered his face with his arm. "I'm not changing my mind."

--

Later that night, Youngho sat alone in the shop next to his motorbike. He had his lollipop in his hand.

His other hand grazed the paperwork from earlier.

"Why is this junk here?" He sucked his lollipop while flipping through the pages. From the first time he admitted to the academy, to the last time he didn't make it to the recital because of the accident.

A piece of pamphlet slipped down from the papers. He took it. It was the recital's list, along with the timetable. He saw Doyoung's name on it.

"Well, good luck."

Few lines under Doyoung's name, he saw Nara's name.

"So she's in here too?" He sighed. "I'd better not unintentionally hurt her hands."